Sometimes reality hits you harder than you expect. And when it does, you realize just how much you've been protecting yourself from feeling the full weight of it.

In this episode, I share something raw and unfiltered: the moment I got a rejection letter for my son's school placement. Why? Because he requires too much one-on-one care to be accepted. It was one of the first times someone told me, in black and white, just how high his needs really are.

And that changed something.

As a parent of a neurodivergent, developmentally complex, nonspeaking child, I spend most days not thinking about how hard things can be. I just… do them. I show up. I adapt. I advocate. I plan for a future I hope looks different than the one people warn me about. But every now and then, something forces you to stop. To sit with the grief you've been outrunning. To face what you've been too busy, too hopeful, or too afraid to name.

This episode isn't polished or retrospective. It's me, 30 minutes after reading that letter, trying to make sense of what I'm feeling. Because I think showing that matters. I think the unprocessed, unpackaged moments matter just as much as the ones we've had time to reflect on or refine our language around.

We talk about:
• What it's like to parent a child with complex needs and not always see the full picture yourself
• The strange kind of imposter syndrome that comes with disability parenting
• Why rejection letters hit differently than you think they will
• How hope and denial can live side by side
• The gap between how you see your child and how the system sees your child
• Why finding other parents who just get it can be lifesaving
• Grief that shows up in pockets, not waves
• What it means to hold space for hard feelings without letting them define the whole story

If you're navigating a diagnosis, waiting for answers, or just trying to figure out what comes next for your child, this one's for you. If you've ever had your reality reframed by someone else's assessment, you'll understand this feeling. And if you're someone who loves a disability parent and wonders what's going on beneath the surface, this might give you a window in.

This isn't about giving up. It's about being honest. About sitting in the hard stuff long enough to actually feel it, and then getting back up anyway.

Because even when it's bad, it's still life. And life with Emmett is still good.

About the channel
Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring busy lives, caregiving, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change - in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance that might just change your mind.

Disclaimer
This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I'm a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights - not clinical recommendations.

Listen to the podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect
Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Work With Me
https://johannakate.com.au

YouTube: You're already here — welcome, stay curious.

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #disabilityparenting #specialneeds #globaldelay #nonspeaking #AAC #autism #schoolrejection #grief #mentalload #caregivertrauma #parentingjourney #reallife #vulnerability #podcast

In Part 2 of my nursing story, I share the operating theatre experience that sparked my love for neuroscience.

Early in my career, I assisted in a deep brain stimulation procedure for a patient with Parkinson’s disease. Watching tremors stop in real time — and seeing a lifelong musician play his flute again — was a defining moment.

But this episode goes deeper than surgery.

I talk about:

• How deep brain stimulation works
• What happens in awake neurosurgery
• My unexpected Tourette’s diagnosis
• Burnout and a crisis of professional confidence
• The neuroscience of feeling “stuck”
• How changing your internal narrative shifts brain activity from the amygdala to the prefrontal cortex
• The role of dopamine and oxytocin in motivation and identity

This is where my clinical experience meets personal rebuilding.

If you’re feeling stuck, doubting yourself, or trying to take the next step toward something meaningful, this episode is for you.

Next week, we break down the brain itself so you can understand the structures involved as we move forward.

Until then, your task is simple:

Identify as the person you’re becoming.

Let’s see what your brain does with that.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we choose the careers we choose?

In this episode, I share the story of how I became a nurse... and the 15-minute moment that shifted my entire life path.

At 16 years old, newly CPR certified and certain I didn’t belong in healthcare, I found myself at the scene of a serious motorcycle accident. What followed wasn’t dramatic heroics. It was something much quieter - holding a stranger’s hand while waiting for an ambulance, and realising that presence can matter more than perfection.

We explore:

• The psychology of career-defining moments
• How neuroplasticity allows the brain to reorganise during insight
• The role of the orbital frontal cortex in motivation
• Why some people run toward emergencies
• What nursing has taught me about human connection

Since that day, nursing has taken me into emergency situations, reconstructive surgery overseas, and countless bedside moments where the social layers fall away and only humanity remains.

This episode is about purpose, presence, and remembering what actually matters.

If you’ve ever experienced a moment that shaped your career, I’d love to hear about it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Self-care gets talked about like it’s spa days, journaling, and perfect routines… but for a lot of us, it just feels like another thing we’re failing at.

In this episode, Johanna (nurse and mum of three boys including one with additional needs) breaks down why “self-care” can feel triggering, guilt-inducing, and unrealistic in the season of life where you’re exhausted, overstimulated, and just trying to get through the day.

Together, we reframe self-care as something personal, proactive, and small - sometimes as simple as forgiving yourself, taking real rest, or using micro-practices like gratitude to shift your nervous system and build momentum.

You’ll hear:

• A grounded definition of self-care (without the wellness-guru pressure)
• Why “basic hygiene” isn’t always the self-care you think it is
• How to choose between sleep, exercise, meditation, and survival
• What to do when therapy is accessible… but not always affordable
• How habit stacking can make self-care actually doable
• A quick gratitude reset + the neuroscience of why it works
• Why the “right people” matter — and how relationships can be self-care (or the opposite)

If self-care has become a burden, this conversation offers a kinder, more realistic way back.

Listener question: What’s one simple self-care practice that actually works for you right now?

#selfcare #burnoutprevention #mumlife #parenting #selfcompassion #nervoussystem #gratitude #mindfulness #meditation #habits #australiamums #overwhelmed #burnoutrecovery

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The debate around Autism Barbie has been loud, emotional, and deeply divided.

But I think we’re missing something important.

In this episode, I unpack why the backlash isn’t really about the doll — and why compassion has been in short supply on all sides of the conversation.

As a nurse, a parent, and someone who works in brain science, I explore a less-discussed angle: that many autism parents aren’t reacting to representation itself. They’re reacting to years of unacknowledged strain, grief, and trauma.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Why “palatable” neurodivergent representation can still have value

- How public discourse often overlooks caregiver trauma

- Why anger around Autism Barbie may actually be about being unseen

- The difference between criticism and compassion and why we need more of the latter

- How nuance gets lost when conversations turn performative

If you care about autism, disability, parenting, or how we talk about difference in public spaces, this conversation matters.

Study Referenced (PTSD Symptoms in Autism Parents):

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/11/1642

About the channel

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, busy lives, caregiving, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change - in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance that might just change your mind.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights - not clinical recommendations.

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

Work With Me

https://johannakate.com.au

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #disabilityparenting #mentalload #burnoutprevention #autismacceptance #assumecapacity #podcast #longformconversation #softrewiring #sciencesis

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re often told that neuroplasticity means the brain can become anything if we try hard enough. That idea sounds hopeful. It’s also wrong. And for many people, quietly harmful.

In this episode, I clarify what neuroplasticity actually is and what it isn’t.

Your brain can change its connections in response to experience. It can strengthen skills, build coping strategies, and learn new patterns.

What it cannot do is erase core wiring or neurodevelopmental architecture.

Autistic brains don’t become neurotypical.

ADHD brains don’t turn into calm, linear machines.

Sensitive nervous systems don’t become robust through force.

From here on, I’ll be teaching how to work with your brain rather than demanding impossible transformations from it. Meaningful change starts with respecting the structure you’re already living in.

Research referenced in this episode:

Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change through experience — primarily by strengthening, weakening, and reweighting neural connections — but it does not remove core neurodevelopmental wiring or temperament. Evidence from neuroscience and psychology shows that skills, habits, and regulation can improve across the lifespan, while baseline sensory sensitivity, cognitive style, and processing traits remain strongly constrained.

Neuroplasticity involves synaptic, structural, and network-level change — not unlimited rewiring

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/12/1610

Core neurodevelopmental traits in autism and ADHD are stable across the lifespan, with adaptation occurring via strategy and environment rather than normalization

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11079289/

Stress impairs learning and plasticity; safety and support enhance adaptive change

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/

Differences in plasticity patterns in autistic brains (heterogeneous findings across studies)

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12136586/

Models emphasizing accommodation over correction in ADHD and autism

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1617192/full

About the channel

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, busy lives, caregiving, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change - in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance that might just change your mind.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights - not clinical recommendations.

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

Work With Me

https://johannakate.com.au

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #disabilityparenting #mentalload #burnoutprevention #autismacceptance #assumecapacity #podcast #longformconversation #softrewiring #sciencesis

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Change of Mind, Johanna Kate unpacks the one quiet reason your nervous system won’t settle, even when you finally sit down: unfinished business. The Zeigarnik effect explains why half-done tasks linger in the mind, and dopamine explains why your brain keeps poking them like a sore tooth instead of letting you rest.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why “just relax” is terrible advice for an overloaded brain, and why mental exhaustion often has nothing to do with laziness or resilience. You’ll see your restlessness for what it is — a predictable neurochemical loop, not a personal flaw.

This matters right now because modern parenting is basically a live demo of constant interruption. Open loops everywhere. No closure. And a brain that evolved to remember unfinished threats doesn’t know the difference between a half-written email and a real emergency.

The science comes from early Gestalt psychology (Bluma Zeigarnik’s original work), modern dopamine research, and cognitive load theory. Together, they explain how task incompletion heightens memory recall, keeps dopamine circuits active, and blocks the shift into genuine rest.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why unfinished tasks stick louder than finished ones
• What dopamine actually does (and doesn’t) do here
• How cognitive load keeps your brain on standby
• Simple ways to close loops without “doing more”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Silence gets mistaken for absence far too easily. And when that happens, people who don’t use speech end up carrying the cost — socially, emotionally, system-wide.

In this episode of Change of Mind, Johanna Kate breaks down eight common mistakes adults make around non-speaking people, especially autistic people and those with complex communication needs. Not in a call-out way. More in a “we were taught this wrong, here’s the update” way.

By the end of this episode, you’ll see non-speaking communication as exactly that — communication — and understand how subtle assumptions shape behaviour, access, and dignity. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being more accurate.

The science matters here. Research in autism, AAC, and cognitive neuroscience shows that speech is a motor output, not a measure of intelligence, comprehension, or intent. Studies on presuming competence, sensory processing differences, and delayed motor planning help explain why so many well-meaning interactions miss the mark.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why speech is a poor proxy for understanding
• How processing time gets misread as disengagement
• The damage done by “testing” instead of communicating
• What AAC research actually says (not what TikTok says)
• Small shifts that make interactions safer and more human

This episode is for parents, clinicians, educators, and anyone who wants to stop guessing and start listening — even when listening doesn’t look the way we were taught it should.

Calm, grounded, and practical. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last installment of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin and I continued to chat after the official part of the interview wrapped up. I wanted to share some of these candid moments because they show a side to her that I fell in love with - witty, caring, and brilliant as ever.

Part 6 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the podcast

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, parenting, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Listen to other episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #softrewiring #specialneeds #disabilityparenting #templegrandin #autismawareness #autismparenting #autismacceptance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 5 of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin reflects on ageing, legacy, work, and the principle that has guided her life: assuming capacity.

At 78, Temple is still teaching, mentoring, designing, and advocating. She shares why practical skills matter more than labels, why success looks different for every autistic person, and why parents and carers must sometimes risk disappointment to avoid something worse—regret.

This episode is especially meaningful for parents and carers of autistic children with high support needs, non-speaking children, and those navigating intellectual disability with both realism and hope.

Part 5 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the podcast

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, parenting, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Listen to other episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #softrewiring #specialneeds #disabilityparenting #templegrandin #autismawareness #autismparenting #autismacceptance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.